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Product properties

Days To Maturity
The average number of days from when the plant is actively growing in the garden to the expected time of harvest.

90-100 days

Fruit Size
The average size of the fruit produced by this product.

3-6 inches

Sun
The amount of sunlight this product needs daily in order to perform well in the garden. Full sun means 6 hours of direct sun per day; partial sun means 2-4 hours of direct sun per day; shade means little or no direct sun.

Full Sun

Spread
The width of the plant at maturity.

4-6 inches

Height
The typical height of this product at maturity.

16-20 inches

Sow Method
This refers to whether the seed should be sown early indoors and the seedlings transplanted outside later, or if the seed should be sown directly in the garden at the recommended planting time.

Start IndoorsStart Indoors
Starting seeds indoors is called Indoor Sow or Indirect Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds indoors in the spring or summer

TransplantTransplant
When to transplant bulbs or roots in the garden for spring

Start OutdoorsStart Outdoors
Starting seeds outdoors is called Outdoor Sow or Direct Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the spring or summer

Start Indoors FallStart Indoors Fall
Starting seeds indoors in the fall called Indoor Sow or Indirect Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the fall

Transplant FallTransplant Fall
Transplant Fall-When to transplant bulbs or roots in the garden for fall

Start Outdoors FallStart Outdoors Fall
Starting seeds outdoors in the fall is called Outdoor Sow or Direct Sow and these dates are when to sow seeds outdoors in the fall

First Date: Mar-25 - Last Date: May-16

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Growing information

How to Plant

Plant potatoes directly in the vegetable garden as soon as possible after you receive your mini-tubers. Potatoes are a cool season crop and mini-tubers should be planted prior to the last expected frost in spring if possible. Potatoes may also be grown as a fall crop in milder regions.

Select a location in full sun with good rich moist organic soil. Make sure you did not grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplant or potatoes in the bed the previous year to avoid disease problems. Potatoes prefer a soil pH of 4.8 to 6.0. Avoid poorly drained soils. Do not plant potatoes in freshly turned grass sod to avoid wireworms.

Prepare the bed by turning the soil under to a depth of 8 inches. Level with a rake to remove clumps of grass and stones.

Plant the entire mini-tuber, do not cut it up into smaller pieces. Lay the mini-tuber in a trench 4-5 inches deep and 6-8 inches wide and apply a light fertilizer at the bottom of the trench. Space the potatoes 10 to 12 inches apart with eyes up and cover with 2 or 3 inches of soil in rows spaced 2 feet apart.

If there is danger of frost cover the rows with newspaper until the shoots are 3-4 inches tall or the danger of frost is over. Plants emerge in 4-6 weeks.

When plants are about 5 inches tall, hill up the soil from the sides of the trench around each plant almost covering the foliage, but allowing 2 inches of foliage to remain above the soil.

Continue this hilling process as the plants grow, usually about every two weeks. The hills keep the plants cool and prevent the potatoes from forming near the surface where light will cause the tubers to turn green and become poisonous. Hilling suppresses weeds and keeps roots deep in the soil where more moisture is available.

How to Grow

Keep weeds under control during the growing season. Weeds compete with plants for water, space and nutrients, so control them by either cultivating often or use a mulch to prevent their seeds from germinating. Cultivate carefully so as not to bruise or cut the young tubers forming just below the soil.

It is important to keep plants well watered during the growing season to ensure enough water for potato development. They prefer 1-2 inches of water per week, more during hot, dry spells. Uneven growth caused by periods of drought when the tubers are forming (around flowering time) will decrease production and result in knobby, cracked or hollow tubers. Use a rain gauge to check to see if you need to add water. It’s best to water with a drip or trickle system that delivers water at low pressure at the soil level. If you water with overhead sprinklers, water early in the day so the foliage has time to dry off before evening, to minimize disease problems. Keep the soil moist but not saturated.

In areas with sandy soil additional side dressings of fertilizer may be needed when the plants are about 12 inches tall and flowers first begin to appear.

Monitor for pests and diseases. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area.

Potato hills can be bordered with rows of other cool-season vegetables such as cabbage transplants, direct-sown lettuce, celery, salad greens and root crops, onions, overwintered herbs, nasturtiums, and strawberry plants.

Harvesting and Preserving Tips

Harvest “new potatoes” as soon as plants begin to flower, about 10 weeks after planting. Harvest mature potatoes about 15 weeks after planting.

When harvesting new potatoes work carefully to disturb the plants as little as possible. With your hands and a trowel gently lift the top layer of soil or mulch around the plants and pick as many potatoes as needed, then replace and firm the soil or mulch. Take only a few of these immature potatoes from each plant. The remaining potatoes will continue to grow and provide your main crop. For best flavor and vitamin content, plan to use new potatoes immediately after digging.

Dig mature potatoes for storing 2-3 weeks after the plants turn yellow and die back. Use a spading fork and work from the outside edge of each row, turning the soil over carefully so the potatoes are not damaged. Most of the crop will be in the top 6 inches of the soil. Harvest on a sunny day and leave them out to dry for an hour.

After harvesting store them in a dark, dry place for a week at 65-70 degrees F. Then store them at 35-40 degrees F out of the light.

Note: The leaves of potato plants are poisonous to humans and animals.

Product Details

Days To Maturity

90-100 days

Fruit Size

3-6 inches

Sun

Full Sun

Spread

4-6 inches

Height

16-20 inches

Sow Method

Direct Sow

Planting Time

Spring

Sow Time

2-4 weeks BLF

Thin

12 inches

Life Cycle

Annual

Reviews

Potato, Heirloom Collection is rated
5.0 out of
5 by
2.

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Wannabe Botanist from
Excellent collectionGreat variety of potatoes. A potato for any recipe. Good mix of early and late season varieties. They are all very delicious too. I will definitely be ordering again next year.

Date published: 2016-08-20

Rated 5 out of
5 by
BurpeeGardenExpert from
Heirloom Collection offers Great VarietyGrowing collections lets you try a little bit of everything that is available. In this case, we have fingerling, Russets, bakers, and fryers--a different potato for every recipe need.